Fire-escape



(No Model.)

W. J. PRATT.

PIRE ESGAPE. 4

NO- 482,556. Patented July 22, 1890.

" Q @mmm l UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

VALTER J. PRATT, OF LOVVVILLE, NEWT YORK.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,556, dated July 22,1890.

Application filed December 2l, 1889. Serial No. 334,535. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER J. PRATT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lowville, in the county of Lewis and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I dodeclare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, suoli as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements infire-escapes; and it has for its object to simplify and cheapeu theconstruction of lire-escapes and to render more efficient andserviceable in operation one of this class of devices.

To these ends, and to such others as the invention may pertain, the sameconsists in the peculiar construction and in the novel combination,arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafterdescribed, shown in the accompanying drawings, and afterwardsspecifically defined in the appended claims.

T he invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying` drawings',which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, like letters of reference indicating like partsthroughout the several views, and in which drawings- Figure l is aperspective view of a portion of a building equipped with a lire-escapein accordance with my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged details inperspective, which will be more fully hereinafter referred to.

Reference nowbeing had to the details of the drawings by letter, Arepresents the building.

B is a heavy sprocket-chain, the upper end of which is secured either tothe roof or to the face of the outer wall of the building at a pointadjacent to the roof. This chain is designed to hang vertically from thepoint at which itsY upper end is attached to a point at or near theground, and the lower end is secured tothe wall by means of staples C,or in any other suitable manner, so as to prevent it from swinging.

The chain B is preferably placed adjacent to a vertical series ofwindow-frames so as to render it accessible.

D is a sprocket-pulley, which is attached to the chain B by means of aheavy link of wire, which is bent over one of the horizontal links ofthe chain at a point above the sill of t-he highest window in thevertical series. sprocket-pointsof the pulley B are of less length thanthe thickness of the chain F, so as not to project beyond the same.

E is a sprocket-pulley, which is attached to one end of a sprocket-chainF. This chain is passed over the pulley D, and extending downwardly ispassed back of the pulley E.

G is a basket or other receptacle of suitable size and form to adapt itfor use in removing either persons or goods from a building. Thisreceptacle is fastened at the top and bottom to the end of the chain F,which passes over the rear of the pulley D.

In operation the free end of the chain F is carried outwardly from thebuilding` a sufficient distance from the building to prevent theengagement of the sprockets upon the pulley D with the links of thevertical chain B, when by pulling upon the chain the re ceptacle Gr maybe drawn up to the level of the window at which it is desired for use.By allowing the pulley D to swing against the chain B the sprockets uponthe pulley will engage the links of the chain, and the receptacle willthus be held at the desired height until it is proposed to lower it withits contents, when by again carrying the lower end of the chain Foutwardly from the building the pulleyD will be released from itsengage'- ment with the chain B and may be lowered to the ground.

Any suitable form of clamping device may be used in securing thereceptacle G to the pulley-chain F, so that the same may be removed whendesired and only attached to the chain when desired for actual use. Thevertical chain B will itself serve as a very convenient and serviceableladder for use in case of iire.

It is evident that in the construction of my fireescape the verticalsprocket-chain B may be omitted and the hook or link which I use -inattaching the sprocket-pulley D'may be attached to a suitablehook orbracket provided for that purpose either upon the outer or the innerside of the window-frame. By this construction the sprocket-pulleys andThe IOO

chain to which they are attached may be stored within the basket whennot in use and may be readily attached to the Window-frame when:necessary to be used. In many instances this construction would bepreferable to the use of a vertical chain secured to the outer face ofthe wall of the building, as in extremely cold weather in the winterseason the use of the vertical chain might be interfered with by reasonof the accumulation of ice and snow.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a chain permanently securedto the outer face of a wall and extending vertically adjacent to avertical seriesof windows or other openings in said wall, of a pulleysecured to the upper end of the chain, a chain orits equivalent passedover the pulley and having secured to one of its ends a pulley underwhich the chain is also passed, and a basket or other receptacle securedto the chain above said pulley, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

2. The herein-described lire-escape, the same comprising, incombination, a sprocketchain permanentlysecured to and extendingvertically upon the outer face of a wall, a sprocket-pulley secured tothe chain, a separate sprocket-chain having a sprocket-pulley secured toone of its ends, the said chain being' passed over the pulley attachedto the vertical iixed chain and returned under the second pulley, and abasket or other receptacle secured to the movable chain, substantiallyas described, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I a'ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER J. PRATT.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM K. CoATs, WILLARD V. REED.

